Four outstanding athletes and a city champion flashback
There is quite a bit happening in the prep sports world.
City championships were earned, four prep stars are making their mark and a piece of history features a championship football team.
Camden, Highland Park city champs
With a 28-20 victory over the North Polars (3-4, 1-3 conference) last week, the Camden Patriots (5-2, 3-1 conference) became football co-champions of the Minneapolis City Conference along with the Southwest Lakers (5-2, 3-1 conference), who lost 28-13 to Washburn (3-4, 2-2 conference).
Across the river in St. Paul, Highland Park (5-2, 4-0 conference) defeated Central 49-12 to claim the City Conference crown outright.
White among the elite
White Bear Lake’s Brian White III has quietly emerged as one of the state’s top prospects. The senior running back has close to 1,300 rushing yards in seven games to lead the Bears to a 5-2 record.
Carter starts
Kendall Carter, a sophomore wide receiver/defensive back for East Ridge, started his first game a few weeks ago.
Moore Jr. one of the state’s best
Colin “Chachi” Moore Jr. of St. Paul Johnson is one of the state’s top two-sport athletes in football and basketball. The senior is a running back/linebacker for the Governors on the gridiron and point guard for the basketball team.
McCoy having an impact
After transferring from St. Agnes to Minnehaha Academy, volleyball setter Ma’Lon McCoy is a major contributor to the team’s 19-4 overall record. The senior left St. Agnes as its all-time leading scorer in girls basketball and is expected to make a similar impact on the basketball court at Minnehaha.
A PIECE OF HISTORY: Central 1987 champs
In 1987, Hall of Fame coach Floyd Smaller led the St. Paul Central Minutemen football team to its first City Conference championship since 1968.
Smaller, who had coached standouts Elmer Bailey, Robert Blakely, Stacy Robinson and Von Sheppard, acknowledged at the time that the 1987 team had some of the best talent he ever coached.
Jody Hawkins, Troy Dennis, Andre Boykin and Andre Thompson (backfield); Jeff Loots (quarterback); Andy Bischoff and Alonzo Chess (linemen); John Adams and Mark Barber (defensive backs); and Doug Hughes and Joe Loots were among the many contributors to the Minutemen’s success in ’87.
The Minutemen lost 9-8 to Hill-Murray in the section playoffs.
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses at mcdeezy05@gmail.com.